Housing Headlines

ROCKPORT --- In what's being described as the most comprehensive changes to its zoning since the zoning law was first adopted decades ago, voters at Rockport's special town meeting approved three zoning changes recently, including the adoption an article that will allow mixed-use development around its train station.

GLOUCESTER --- Despite efforts by some city council members and the planning board to make zoning changes that would "bleed some of the pressure off the pressure cooker that is the Gloucester housing crisis,” the Gloucester City Council rejected a second round of zoning amendments after many residents spoke out against the changes over concerns about traffic, parking and overdevelopment.

NATICK --- A mixed-use development for the former St. Patrick's Parish property in downtown Natick may be reaching the finish line as as the town's Zoning Board of Appeals and the developer have scheduled meetings to review plans on May 31 and June 9. Stonegate Group has applied to the town for a Ch. 40B permit to to create a mixed-use, mixed-income project that would include a new building with housing above retail.

MONTAGUE --- At May Town Meeting, Montague voters overwhelmingly OK'd two zoning districts for mixed-income housing in downtown Turners Falls, the Greenfield Recorder reported. Voters OK'd the use of a state program known as Ch. 40R, which incentivizes communities to create zoning that promotes dense residential mixed-use neighborhoods near transit and town centers. This is the first time a community in Franklin County has adopted 40R, according to Alyssa Larose, the county's housing development director. This 2021 news story has more details on the zoning districts.

MILTON --- A group of Milton residents announced recently the formation Affordable Inclusive Milton (AIM), which will advocate to increase the amount of affordable housing in Milton and promote a racially and economically diverse population throughout the town.

Two Cape organizations - one dedicated to affordable housing and the other to protecting the Cape's natural resources - have joined together to launch "Grow Smart Cape Cod," an interactive mapping project that uses data and GIS technology to identify priority areas for natural resource protection and multifamily affordable development. To check it out, go to www.growsmartcapecod.org.